Combine fun.

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Had a play with this 1980's MF 525 combine this afternoon. Not been run for around 10yrs at least and sitting with a flat tyre. Of course the flat had to be up against the wall and the combine leaning against it.

I'm under there trying to blow the tyre up, with the compressor we brought down from the main farm. Luck was with us and the tyre inflated and stayed up.

Next job was to see if it would start. New battery fitted and after some whirling, priming, fiddling and more whirling, the Perkins 3ltr something burst into life.

So far so good. Now to move it. First we had to move the 1970's, I think it is, IH digger. That started with no problem. Always does with a squirt of Easy Start. It's always need Easy Start as long as I can remember.

Back to the combine and it refused to move. Left hand wheel made an effort, but the right hand one refused to budge. Brakes seized was the first thought. But it had been left with the brakes of. Now I know nothing about these things, but weighing up the axle and hubs etc I came to the conclusion, due to no centre differential, the hubs are hydraulic driven.

Back at the main farm, I had a look at an operators manual. This proved my suspicion. The wheels are hydraulically driven. But there was no info on stripping them. So my friend is going to get in touch with an agricultural fitter he sometimes uses.

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Well we got the old girl to move today. I had a thought and said, "How's it for hydraulic oil?" Checked the tank and not a drop on the dipstick. Put in a gallon of oil, fired up the engine and we had drive to both wheels.

Gordon, my farmer friend, reversed it out of the barn, turned it round and reversed it back in. Now parked in a more suitable position, until a decision on it's future is decided.

Must admit that big Perkins 120hp 6 cylinder engine runs sweet. Only just run in with just over 2,000 hours on the clock.